Bansal is under tremendous pressure to resign as the CBI investigates his role in the scandal. So far, CBI sources say, no direct link has been found between Bansal and the case.

Bansal, however, has stopped attending office, which many perceive as a sign that he is on the way out. Bansal did not attend the Cabinet meet on Thursday as well.

This as more of his family and aides came under the scanner. A chartered accountant with links to companies owned by the rail minister's wife and sons was appointed a director in Canara Bank when Bansal was the Minister of State for Finance.

Canara Bank had then given loans worth crores to the company owned by the Bansal family. The same bank had also granted loans worth Rs 25 crore to a company run by Vijay Singla, who is now in CBI custody.

Reports also said that the company run by Bansals' sons gave an unsecured loan to the minister and this contradicts his claim that he had no links with his family businesses.